


The Mayor's Dinner

by Probably_exhausted



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Holtzbert - Freeform, and drunk holtzbert, some jealous!Erin for ya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-09 00:46:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7780333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Probably_exhausted/pseuds/Probably_exhausted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Mayor throws his annual dinner and invites the Ghostbusters for the first time. Holtzmann isn't too happy about having to dress up and so decides that getting drunk with Erin is the best way to pass the evening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mayor's Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, I didn't think I'd ever love a movie and its characters as much as I did Ghostbusters and I definitely didn't think I'd spend my summer writing Holtzbert fluff, but here we are. I tried to capture their voices the best I could, but it's pretty hard with only 2 hours worth to go on (they definitely need another 10 films at least). Follow me on tumblr at mckinnons-wink and enjoy!

“Okay, so you all know about the dinner tomorrow night?” Abby asked, pointing at each ghostbuster in turn. They were all working in the firehouse, Holtzmann continuously setting fire to something and Patty sitting nearby with a fire extinguisher in one hand and a history book in the other. 

“The one with the, um, Mayor?” Erin squeaked from the corner, gently tugging on the collar of her shirt as she blushed. _That_ was not a memory she wanted to revisit anytime soon. She had mostly forgotten what she had said to the man in the midst of her panic of the world ending, but she did remember comparing him to the Mayor from ‘Jaws’. 

“Yes, Erin. The Mayor.” Abby confirmed, sitting down on her stool. Holtzmann grinned at Erin’s nervousness, accidentally setting fire to another cloth. Patty sighed, spraying it with the fire extinguisher. 

“Holtzy, if you’re gonna turn around, turn _off_ the blowtorch.” Patty instructed, placing the fire extinguisher onto the floor next to her stool. Holtzmann rolled her eyes, going back to scribbling down equations for the new weapon she was making. A comfortable silence fell across the large room as they all got back to what they were doing, soft music filtering out of Holtzmann’s radio. 

“Oh, Holtzmann?” Abby asked, her head shooting up from behind her desk. 

“Yup?” Holtzmann replied, not looking up from her creation. 

“When I say it’s a formal dinner tomorrow, I mean it. No paint splattered coveralls, no dirty flannels, no yellow goggles. As much as I love ya, you’re gonna have to look smart.” Abby explained, Holtzmann looking more and more aghast with each remark. 

“What?” The blonde engineer whined, slumping against the desk in dismay. Erin snorted at the other end of the room. 

“Maybe you could wear a dress?” Abby suggested. Holtzmann’s face said it all, Abby and Patty cracking up.

“Gotta tell ya, you’re face is priceless right now.” Abby giggled, wiping the tears away from her eye. 

“I don’t think she even owns a dress, do you Holtzmann?” Erin asked, looking up from her own equations to the blonde. Holtzmann shook her head. 

“I did! But it was much more useful as a blanket to protect the floor from oil than a dress.” Holtzmann explained, flicking her hand before jumping up and down to try and wake herself up. The ghosbusters heard footsteps rushing up the stairs, all cringing as whoever it was tripped up and fell to the ground with a loud bang. 

“Hey guys!” Kevin announced, running into the room wearing a tight tuxedo. Abby held back a laugh as Erin’s mouth fell open. “What do you think? For the dinner tomorrow?”

“I think it’s really, really…” Erin trailed off, looking at Kevin’s ass as he did a twirl. “Great! Great, I think it’s great. It really, um, suits your…body.”

“You look wonderful, Kevin.” Abby interjected, not being able to stand Erin embarrassing herself further. Kevin grinned at Abby, giving her a small wink. Abby tried to hide the blush, hurriedly turning back to her work. Scratching his eye through his glasses frame, Kevin exited the room.

“Can I wear trousers?” Holtzmann asked, kicking up her legs and crossing them over on her desk. Abby rolled her yes. 

“Yes, as long as they’re smart.” Abby sighed. 

“Sooooo…not jeans?” Holtzmann drawled out, narrowing her eyes at the end of the question.

“I guess smart jeans are okay.”

“GOT IT!” Holtzmann yelled, jumping up and pumping her fists into the air, thoroughly startling Patty and Erin. 

“HOLTZY!” Patty exclaimed, gently whacking the engineer on the back with her history book. Holtzmann grinned. Erin smiled fondly at the eccentric blonde, trying to ignore the way her stomach was flipping at the idea of seeing Holtzmann all dressed up.

* * *

 

Erin always enjoyed getting properly dressed up. She liked the routine of it, as well as the confidence boost from _knowing_ that she looked good. Her dress was neatly lying on her bed with her shoes, her make-up already planned and laid out on her nightstand, her hairdryer and straighteners plugged into the wall and ready to go. The former professor stepped out of the shower, wrapping a soft, white towel around herself. Once she had finished moisturising her arms and legs, she turned her music on and let herself dance as she got ready. That was another thing she had learnt from Holtzy; dancing unashamedly is good for the soul. She stopped herself before she could think more of the blonde, that path only usually leading to confusion and a strange feeling in her stomach. Using her hairbrush as a microphone, she danced around the room in her towel, her wet hair falling down her back. Her thoroughly enjoyable dancing session was interrupted by the phone ringing. 

Erin frowned as she put her hairbrush down and turned off the music, answering the call on her phone. It was an unknown number. 

“Erin Gilbert, Ghostbuster speaking?” Erin started, holding the top of her towel closed. At first, she heard nothing on the other end. She started to consider that it might have been an accidental call until she started to hear heavy breathing. 

“Hello? Is someone there?” The brunette asked, her frown deepening. The breathing started to sound more malevolent if, y’know, breathing could sound malevolent. 

“I can see you, Erin.” A deep, crackly voice sounded from the other end of the phone. Erin jumped, her eyes darting around her room. How could someone see her? Her heart raced as she looked to the window which was, as she expected, shut and the curtains drawn. 

“Who-who is this?” Erin asked. Again, she was met with deep breathing. “This isn’t funny.”

“I’m behind you.” The voice announced. Okay, definitely malevolent. 

“How? I’m alone.” Erin squeaked out, her hands beginning to tremble. Even though she was a professional ghostbuster, she was still no good when it came to this kind of stuff. She still couldn’t make it through an actual ghost film. 

“No, Erin. You’re not. You know better than anyone.”

“You’re…you’re a ghost?” Erin asked, her throat dry. 

“I am. I’m here to take you back into the portal. Three.” Erin gasped, turning around and tried to see what was about to take her. She really wished in that moment that Abby would let them take the proton packs home. 

“Two.”

“Why? Why do you want to take me?”

“One.”

Erin let out a small shriek, shutting her eyes as she prepared for whatever was about to happen to her. Suddenly, a surprisingly high and female laugh started to come from her phone. Erin started to put the pieces together. 

“HOLTZMANN! I SWEAR TO GOD!” Erin yelled down the phone, angrily pulling on her own hair out of stress and anger. The laughter got louder, Erin getting angrier by the second as she thought of the blonde leaning against a table with tears of laughter pouring out of her eyes. 

“I can’t-I can’t believe that worked.” Holtzmann cracked up again, trying to get her breath back.

“That was so NOT funny. I was about to…bust something!” Erin seethed, resting her cool hand against her hot forehead. Holtzmann started laughing all over again. 

“I can’t believe you thought a ghost was phoning you.” Holtzmann giggled. 

“Okay, right, I’m hanging up the phone now.” Erin deadpanned, moving the phone away from her ear. 

“No, no, wait!” 

Erin sighed, putting the phone back to her ear. 

“What, Holtzmann?”

“…Could I get a lift?” Jillian asked. Erin’s eyes widened.

“You think I’m going to give you a lift after _that_?” Erin asked, leaning against her nightstand for support as her legs were still shaking. 

“I’m sorry, Gilbert.” Holtzmann apologised, sounding surprisingly remorseful. Erin let out a loud shaky breath. “Shit, I really scared you, didn’t I?” 

“Just a bit.” Erin admitted, running a hand through her damp hair. Erin heard Holtzmann let out a loud puff of air. 

“…Did you soil yourself?”

“HOLTZMANN!”

“Alright…” The blonde drew out the word in the ridiculous way she usually did, though Erin found it kinda adorable. Erin decided that she couldn’t stay mad at the ridiculous woman for much longer, giving in to the request. 

“Where do you need picking up?” Erin asked. The former professor swore she _heard_ Holtzy grin and punch the air. 

“My apartment.” The eccentric blonde announced. Silence. Erin rolled her eyes.

“…Which is?”

“Oh right!” Jillian quickly gave her the address, Erin scribbling it down onto her notepad. She didn’t spare much thought to how strange it was that she was only learning now where her co-worker lived. The physicist promised to pick her up in an hour’s time and quickly finished the phone call to give herself ample time to get ready. 

Erin’s stomach and heart was beginning to do a whole routine of its own. She was trying to convince herself that it was due to seeing Kevin dressed in that tuxedo he had shown them yesterday, but something was telling her that it was for the crazy engineer. Once she added the finishing touches to her make up and hair, satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her clutch purse from the side along with her car keys. 

Holtzmann’s apartment wasn’t as far away as Erin had expected, the brunette nervously tapping the wheel of her car as she waited for a response from Holtzmann after she had texted her to let her know she was outside. 

Erin’s phone buzzed.

_Coming now, ghost girl._

A huge grin broke out on Erin’s face. She quickly tried to smother it, but to no avail. She was startled as the door on the other side of the car opened, an unfamiliar woman stepping in. 

“Woah, woah, stop- Holtzmann?!” Erin gasped, completely taken aback by the woman’s appearance. Blonde hair that was usually pinned up and curling messily off the engineer’s head was now cascading down her back, curled lightly. Erin swore that her heart stopped. Holtzmann looked up, her grey-blue eyes lined with dark eyeliner. She flashed a grin to the brunette, her dimples more obvious under the car light. It was official; Erin had stopped breathing. 

“Hey, ghost girl.” Holtzmann grinned, lifting her legs up onto the dashboard and crossing them over. Well, some things never changed. 

“Jillian, you look…” Erin couldn’t finish the sentence, kicking herself for each second that she allowed to pass without finishing it. Her eyes roamed down the other woman’s body. Instead of messy coveralls, Holtzmann had white jeans on paired with a sleek, double breasted black blazer, buttoned together at the lowest button. To top it all off, she actually had a pair of black heels on. Erin was completely taken aback, forgetting how to function. 

“Erin? Y’in there?” Holtzmann laughed, knocking against the physicist’s head. 

“Ow!” Erin complained, frowning and lifting her hand to her forehead. Holtzmann offered a small shrug as an apology, rummaging around in her blazer pocked for her phone. 

“You, um…you look very amazing.” Erin admitted, already mentally kicking herself. _Very amazing? Really? Smooth, Gilbert._

“You look very amazing, too.” Holtzmann laughed. How had Erin not realised how utterly stunning the other woman was before now? She was beautiful in every sense of the word, both inside and out. Erin stopped her train of thought. There was no way that she was going to go through this again. The last time she had felt this way about a girl was in college and well, that really hadn’t ended well. 

“Right, um, we should…go.” Erin cleared her throat, finally tearing her eyes away from Holtzmann. Holtzmann’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a blush working its way up her cheeks. 

“So why did you need a lift?” Erin asked, trying to break some of the tension that had manifested itself in the car. 

“Oh, I got robbed.”

“WHAT??”

“Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal. They didn’t steal any Ghosbuster stuff.”

“No, no, Holtzy, I’m not worried about that. Are you okay?” Erin asked, taking her eyes of the road for a second to look at Holtzmann. Jillian frowned. 

“They didn’t take anything valuable.” Holtzmann explained, tightening the strap on her heels. She never normally wore them, but there was a small part of her that had dug them out of the wardrobe that evening to impress Erin. After seeing the brunette’s reaction, the decision had definitely seemed worth it. 

“Oh, okay. That’s good, I suppose.” Erin replied. It didn’t really add up. “Did they take your car keys?”

“That, and my phone and laptop. I had to get a cheap new phone. I thought they took some plates as well, but wouldn’t that have been weird for robbers to take? Why would they need plates? So I looked all over for these plates and realised that I had used them inside the ghost pagers that I made last week.” Holtzmann explained at her usual million-miles-a-minute pace. 

“Holtzy, that’s a lot of valuable stuff.” Erin sighed, running her hand down her face. For a ridiculously clever scientist, Holtzmann really wasn’t that smart about usual things. 

“But it’s not irreplaceable!” Holtzmann noted with a grin, lifting her finger up as if it was a eureka moment. 

“…I guess not?”

“If they’d taken my blueprints though, I would have been pretty darn pissed off.” Holtzmann laughed deeply, looking down to her blazer and brushing off some crumbs that Erin didn’t doubt were due to salted Pringles. 

“I can help you get some of that stuff back. Did you have insurance?” Erin asked. Holtzmann scrunched her face up as she thought in that adorable way that Erin loved. The physicist shook her head when she noticed where her thoughts were going, looking back onto the road. They were near the event venue now. 

“Insurance is for dudes.” Holtzmann declared, looking at the lights of New York pass them by. Erin sighed, giving up. There was a strange feeling overtaking Erin as they were pulling up near the valet for the restaurant. It was as if she didn’t want to let Holtzmann out the car and just keep the blonde all to herself. She knew that Jillian would be flooded with people throwing themselves at her, especially if she looked like that, and Erin didn’t like the idea of it at all. That thought scared her as she pulled the keys out of the ignition, deflating back into her chair. 

“You look very nice, Erin. You should wear your hair up more often.” Holtzmann suggested in that stifled, awkward way that she delivered that ‘friend’ speech last year. The blonde cleared her throat loudly, looking away and blushing. Erin’s heart beat faster in her chest, grinning as much as she had when she received the ‘ghost girl’ text earlier. 

“Thank you, Jillian.” Erin smiled softly, meeting the other woman’s beautiful eyes. Holtzmann gave a small smile, her dimples prominent. Holtzmann reached her hand out, gently brushing her fingertips over Erin’s colder hand still clutching onto the gear stick. Erin’s skin felt like fire where Jillian hand had ghosted over, her pupils dilating. 

“Let’s go, Gilbert.” Holtzmann announced, pointing towards the door in that awkward way she does. Erin let out a laugh, unbuckling her belt and stepping out of the car. Her appreciation of Holtzmann’s outfit tripled once the blonde got out of the car, the white jeans hugging her figure in the perfect way. Erin was so far gone. Holtzmann grinned up at Erin from behind her curtain of blonde, wavy hair. She wound her arm through Erin’s, their arms interlinked as they walked towards the restaurant where the function was being held. This was definitely better than the last time she had entered as she had left being dragged out with half of the Mayor’s table and lunch. 

“Who’s the babe with Gilbert?” She could spot Patty’s voice anywhere. The pair turned around to the source of the voice. 

“OH MY GOD IT’S HOLTZMANN!” Patty squealed, bursting her way through the crowded room. She scooped up Holtzy easily into a hug, the blonde woman letting out a whoop and wrapping her white jean-clad legs around Patty. Patty laughed, putting the shorter woman back down. 

“Holtzy, you look amazing.” Patty laughed, clapping the engineer on the back. 

“Very amazing, I’ve heard.” Holtzmann grinned, winking at Erin. Erin quickly flushed bright red, making her way over to Abby and Kevin. 

“Did we hire a new Ghostbuster?”

“No, Kev, buddy, that’s Holtzmann?”

“Haha! No, seriously.” She heard Kevin laugh as she approached the pair, wrapping her arms around herself. 

“No, seriously, that’s Holtzmann.” 

“Really?”

“Kev, I don’t know what to tell ya.” 

“Hey, guys.” Erin smiled, giving an awkward wave. Abby smiled, waving the physicist over. 

“Erin! Confirm to Kevin that that is in fact Holtzmann.” Abby asked, pointing to where Patty was introducing Holtzmann to a “friend” who was far to interested in the engineer for Erin’s liking. 

“Yep, that’s Holtzmann. Plain ol’ regular…Holtzmann…” Erin stopped herself from looking at the blonde, smiling at Kevin before flagging the bartender down and ordering a gin and tonic. She was gonna need one. Abby was watching her with an interested eye before turning back to Kevin. Erin turned back around, sipping her drink and looking through the crowd for the blonde again. Patty had left the two women alone, clearly hoping they would hit it off. From what it looked like, the dark haired woman with Holtzmann believed they were hitting it off, but Holtzy thought otherwise. Jillian’s posture was stiff, her hands stuffed firmly into her blazer pockets as she talked to the other woman. Erin already hated her. 

“Erin…” Abby started, sidling up to her co-worker. Erin frowned as Abby thought over what to say. “Go talk to her.”

“What? I have no idea what you’re talking abo-really, you think I should?” Erin asked, chewing on her bottom lip. Abby nodded, and Erin sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I never thought…I mean, it’s _Holtzmann_! She makes fart jokes and stuffs her face with Pringles and sets things on fire and…looks amazing doing all of it.” 

Abby patted her friends shoulder comfortingly.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s one sided.” Abby added. Erin’s interest piqued at this, her eyebrow raising. 

“Really?” The physicist asked, nursing her gin and tonic. Abby nodded. 

“Oh yeah. Holtzy _danced_ for you, Erin. She’s the only one who laughs at your jokes, and-“

“That’s because they’re funny!”  
“Nuh-uh. It’s because she likes you, you big idiot. Now stop sulking over here and cut off that woman, who by the way already got three numbers tonight, and go bone Holtzmann.” 

“Abby!”

“Just sayin’”

“Well, don’t. It’s weird.”

“Erin, need I remind you-“

“I’m going.”

“Good.”

“Walking away now. Don’t bring up _The Incident_.”

“I won’t.”

“Love ya, Abby.”

“Go away, Erin.”

Erin sucked in a deep breath and pushed her way through the crowd towards the engineer. Holtzmann immediately perked up upon seeing Erin, sending her a ‘help me’ look. The raven-haired woman was practically slobbering all over the blonde. 

“Hey there, sorry to cut in. I’m Erin, I work with Holtzmann.” Erin cut into the conversation, startling the other woman. Erin offered her hand to her. The raven-haired woman looked annoyed to say the least, shaking Erin’s hand in most lacklustre way she could. Erin bit back a remark, looking to Holtzy who appeared to be subtly hiding behind Erin. The physicist decided to try something. 

“Can I get you a drink, babe?” Erin asked Jillian, putting a hand on her arm. It took the engineer a few seconds to clock on to what Erin was doing. 

“Oh, um, yeah.” Holtzmann cleared her throat, looking away from the raven-haired woman. “Could you get one with two shots of vodka, some 7up and then a little bit of Everclear?

“Are you serious?” Erin deadpanned. Her and Holtzmann’s proximity as they whispered to each other would have made her blush if the blonde wasn’t being so utterly ridiculous. 

“It’s what I drink.” Holtzmann shrugged.

“I’m literally not ordering that for you.” Erin whispered back.

“Why not?” Holtzmann whined, giving Erin her best puppy dog eyes. Damn, it might have worked. 

“Because it’s crazy! You’re crazy.” Erin replied, her eyes darting between Holtzy’s grey-blue ones.

“I know.” She grinned. Erin bit back a smile. 

“If I get this for you, I better not have to pick you up off the floor in an hour. We still have dinner to get through.” Erin warned. Holtzmann gave her a salute with two fingers, Erin rolling her eyes and walking over to the bar to get the crazy scientist her drink. The bartender’s expression was exactly what she thought it would be - thinking she was completely insane. He handed her the lethal concoction with a wary eye. 

“It’s for a friend.” Erin hurriedly explained. He gave her that look as if to say ‘that’s what they all say’. Erin frowned at him before carrying the drink over to Holtzmann and the woman who clearly hadn’t got the hint that Erin was pretending to be with Holtzy’s girlfriend. 

“Here you go.” Erin smiled, giving the poisonous beverage to the engineer. 

“Thank you.” Holtzmann sang, taking a hearty gulp. Erin almost couldn’t watch. 

“Oh, okay, Holtzy? Yep, um…” Erin lightly lowered the end of the cup to stop the other woman from ingesting too much in one go. The raven-haired woman seemed amused at the display. 

Erin was wracking her brain with something to say to her when the Mayor got up onto the stage at one end of the room, introducing himself and asking that they all take their seats as dinner was about to be served. 

“See you later, Jillian.” The raven-haired woman said lowly and suggestively, leaning up and kissing Holtzmann on the cheek before walking over to her own seat. Holtzmann looked up to Erin with wide eyes. Erin bit back a laugh, as well as the jealousy bubbling up inside of her that the other woman had been able to kiss her cheek and Erin hadn’t. 

“So, um, what…what do you think of her?” Erin asked, folding her arms as they waited for the crowd to make their way to their seats. Holtzmann tucked her hair behind her ears, letting out a puff of air. 

“Of…” Holtzmann jabbed her thumb backwards, gesturing to where they were stood a moment before. “Claire?” 

Erin nodded, jealousy coursing through her body. 

“Well….” Holtzmann drew out. “She doesn’t really seem my type.” 

“Oh really?” Erin asked, far too upbeat. Erin closed her eyes in embarrassment. “I mean, oh really?” 

“Yep.” Holtzmann replied, popping the ‘p’. 

“What is? Your type, I mean?” Erin asked before she could stop herself. Holtzmann looked up to Erin curiously, her eyes darting between Erin’s blue ones. 

“Well, she has to be smart, I guess. I’m a lot to keep up with. And believe in ghosts, obviously. Cute’s just a bonus.” Holtzmann winked at Erin, who’s eyes widened. She thought back to what Abby had said earlier, a million thoughts racing through her head. She was not drunk enough for this. 

“Give me some of that.” Erin motioned for Holtzmann’s glass. The engineer grinned as Erin took her own huge gulp. Holtzmann whooped and clapped her hands, taking the glass from Erin as she offered it back. Holtzmann took a deep breath and then looked at Erin, her eyes wide with an idea. 

“Erin Gilbert.” Holtzmann started.

“…Yeah?

“Will you be my drinking buddy?” Holtzmann asked, leaning forwards. She was pulling one of her ridiculous faces that Erin couldn’t help but laugh at. 

“What the heck, sure. Why not.” Erin grinned as Holtzmann gave her a thumbs up, downing another bit of her drink. The pair sat down at their table. Abby and Kevin were flirting with one another while Patty was hitting on another guy; they barely noticed the two scientists taking their seats. 

Erin ordered three vodka shots each for her and Holtzmann, the alcohol from her gin and tonic as well as Holtzmann’s lethal concoction probably preventing her from reconsidering giving the engineer any more alcohol than what was in her glass. 

“Alright. Let’s do this.” Holtzmann downed the last of her drink, shaking out her arms and letting out a loud exhale. Erin picked up Holtzmann’s shot and handed it to her. They linked the arms carrying their shots through each others, holding eye contact. 

“Three, two, one.” Holtzmann counted down, not for the first time that night, Erin remembered. They knocked back their shots before Erin started to laugh uncontrollably. 

“Gilbert, that was hardly any alcohol!” Holtzmann protested, nudging the physicist. 

“I can’t believe I thought you were a ghost.” Erin breathed out, leaning against Holtzmann as she laughed. Holtzmann started to laugh herself, her face scrunched up in the way that Erin loved. Erin picked herself up off Holtzmann, handing her the next shot. They knocked back the next two, the effects of which were clearly catching up on Holtzmann. 

“There you guys are! What did you think of Claire?” Patty asked, digging her fork into the starter they had just been served. Both Holtzmann and Erin looked down to their plates, confused as to when they had got there. They shared a look of confusion before looking back to Patty. 

“Claire…” Holtzmann drawled, squinting her eyes as her brain was fuzzy. Erin giggled, bumping Jillian’s shoulder. 

“She wasn’t her type.” Erin whispered exaggeratedly to Patty. It was Patty and Abby’s turn to share a look. 

“Oh god.” Abby groaned, rubbing her forehead with her hand. A drunk Holtzmann and Erin on the loose was not something she needed. Patty, on the other hand, was loving it. 

“Oh really?” Patty grinned, looking between the pair. Holtzmann and Erin looked at each other again before laughing. 

“She didn’t believe in ghosts.” Holtzmann explained, her voice huskier than usual. 

“That matters to Jillian.” 

“Mmmhmm.”

“I believe in ghosts, y’know.”

“No, really?” Holtzmann still seemed to master sarcasm, despite having thrown back more than 6 units of alcohol in the last half an hour. Abby stifled a laugh as Kevin watched on, thoroughly confused. 

“I’m ghost girl.” Erin giggled. 

“You’re ghost girl.” Holtzmann smiled, resting her chin on her hand and swaying slightly as she watched Erin closely. 

The rest of the dinner managed to go by smoothly, much to Abby’s relief. After she had explained to Kevin that Holtzmann and Erin were in fact drunk, and not possessed and in need of ghostbusting, he started to relax. Jillian and Erin behaved themselves for the most part, though Abby couldn’t prevent them from ordering another two shots each later on into the meal. 

“Your hair’s so pretty.” Erin drawled, picking up a strand of Holtzmann’s golden curls. It was a lot longer than what she was expecting, running her fingers through it. Jillian closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the feeling. 

“I’m still not wearing a dress.” Holtzmann replied, trying to form the words correctly. Erin giggled. 

“I wouldn’t want you to. Your ass looks great in pants.” Erin tried to whisper. Abby flushed as she heard Erin’s shameless flirting, while Patty laughed into her dessert. Holtzmann, on the other hand, shifted in her seat and followed Erin’s movements with her grey eyes. 

Luckily for the other occupants of the table, they were soon moved from the table to the dance floor that had been set up as the dinner was cleared up. 

“Ghost girl, dance with me.” Holtzmann stumbled out, grabbing Erin’s hand. Her eyes lit up as ‘Rhythm of the Night’ came on, grinning and pulling the physicist onto the already packed dance floor. 

The pair danced to DeBarge, laughing and falling on each other as they tried to recreate dance moves in their inebriated state. Erin was having the most fun she’d ever had, dancing (and drinking) the night away with Holtzmann. When the song had finished, they walked over to the bar and did one more shot of vodka each. Erin had never been this drunk either. 

“Jillian! There you are.” Claire smiled, leaning up against the bar next to the blonde and running her finger down Holtzmann’s forearm. Erin frowned, angry at the woman who was beginning to disturb her evening. 

“Oh, hello _Claire._ ” Erin spat out, narrowing her eyes at the raven-haired beauty. Holtzmann’s eyebrows shot up at Erin’s unusual behaviour. 

“Yeah, uh, hi?” Claire frowned, dismissing Erin and turning her head back to Holtzmann. “Do you wanna dance?”

“Actually, um-“ Holtzmann was cut off.

“No, she doesn’t.” Erin replied for Holtzmann. 

“Erin…” Holtzmann gently tugged on Erin’s sleeve, urging her to calm down with her grey eyes. 

“Have you got a problem?” Claire asked, folding her arms and glaring expectantly at Erin. Any calming effect Holtzmann had had on her quickly dissipated. 

“Actually, I do. Jillian deserves more than to be your fourth number of the night. She is a brilliant scientist and a thoroughly beautiful person and deserves more than you.” Erin prodded Claire, surprising herself with her volatility. Claire’s face just made her want to punch it. With her fist. God, this was why she didn’t drink. 

“Woah, woah, Erin.” Holtzmann pulled on Erin’s arm with more force, pulling the physicist off the confused woman. When Erin’s eyes locked with Holtzmann’s pleading ones, she deflated. She had revealed way too much about what she thought and felt and had embarrassed herself. Again. 

“I’m gonna…I’m gonna go. I’m sorry.” Erin whispered, pulling away from Holtzmann and walking into the crowd. She felt so stupid! What did she have to offer Holtzmann that Claire didn’t? Maybe a host of traumatising childhood issues and a lack of self confidence? Yeah, because that was a real turn on. She didn’t deserve someone like Holtzmann. With that sobering thought, she stepped out into the cold New York air outside the event. Leaning against the wall in the nearest alley, she let out a long breath as she tried not to cry. 

“You’re so stupid, Erin. For god’s sake.” She scalded herself, resting the base of her palm against her forehead as she clenched her jaw. 

“Stupid, I don’t think so. Socially awkward, yeah.” Erin’s head snapped up. Holtzmann was standing a few metres away from her, both her hands stuffed into her front jean pockets as she shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

“I’m so sorry, Jillian. I don’t know what came over me.” Erin apologised, pulling her cardigan further around herself against the chilly wind. Holtzmann gave her one of her trademark smirks, stepping closer to the physicist. 

“Don’t…I kind of liked…what you said. No one’s said anything like that about me before.” Holtzmann confessed, her voice stilted and awkward as she looked to the ground and used the toe of her shoe to fiddle with a pebble on the ground. 

“Really?” Erin asked, her eyebrows drawing together. Holtzmann looked up, her eyes sad as she nodded. How could no one have told Holtzmann that she was brilliant and beautiful?

“Well, I meant it.” Erin smiled, her eyes crinkling in the corners. Holtzmann smiled at how cute the former professor was, showing her dimples.

“You’re cute.” Holtzmann let slip out, her eyes widening once she realised what she had said. Erin knew that she was far from sober and so wasn’t sure if she had imagined what Holtzmann had said, but the butterflies in her stomach were tumbling around and making her go crazy. She had never noticed how soft Holtzmann’s lips were, reaching out and tracing her thumb along the engineer’s bottom lip. Erin froze when she realised that she was actually doing what she had wanted to do in her mind. 

“That’s cute, too.” Holtzmann exhaled, her hot breath on Erin’s thumb. 

Erin never liked to take risks. She had always done what she was supposed to do. She went to MIT, she got her college degree, she worked her ass off for tenure. But, since she had lost her job and begun to work as a ghostbuster, she had become much better at taking risks. This was definitely one of them. 

Erin stepped forward, somewhat trapping Holtzmann between herself and the wall. Holtzmann’s pupil’s dilated at the physicist’s proximity, her thumb still on Jillian’s lower lip. Gently, Erin removed her thumb from the engineer’s lip and replaced it with her own lips. Holtzmann seized up, unused to and surprised by the contact. Erin stopped, adrenaline flashing through her veins as she internally freaked out. Maybe that was just Holtzmann’s drunk person? Maybe she was just flirty and touchy? Maybe Abby had been wrong? Oh my god.

Holtzmann silenced any of Erin’s qualms as the brunette pulled away by confidently placing her hand on the back of Erin’s neck, pulling her back towards her. Jillian’s lips comfortably slid over Erin’s as they both melted into the contact. Erin pushed Holtzmann further back into the wall, one hand running down Jillian’s neck while the other was tangled up in her long hair. Holtzmann let out a moan as she ran her hands down Erin’s sides. Erin’s own hands had begun to wander around the blonde, dipping her hand under the blazer she loved to spread her fingers along the engineer’s alabaster skin. 

Holtzmann wound her leg around Erin’s, turning her around so that the brunette was pressed against the wall. Suddenly, neither of them were feeling so drunk anymore. Holtzmann gently traced her fingers down Erin’s neck, eliciting a moan from the physicist. Erin felt like she was finally doing what she was meant to have been doing during college and high school; making out with her crush outside a party. 

“You’re a really good kisser.” Okay, maybe Erin was still a bit drunk. Holtzmann smiled, those damn dimples killing Erin all over again.

Erin grabbed the lapels of Holtzmann’s blazer, pulling her forward again and pressing her lips to Jillian’s. This kiss was far more heated than the other ones, hands exploring everywhere. Lips explored necks and collarbones, teeth grazing over pale flesh as they tried to get as close to one another as possible. It was almost as if they were making up for all the time they could have spent making out since they had met. 

“Mmm…Holtzmann?” Erin interrupted, leaning back from the blonde. Holtzmann ran her thumb along Erin’s chin and jaw, the brunette’s eyes fluttering shut. “We’re gonna have to stop.” 

“What? Why?” Holtzmann asked, freezing up. Erin lifted her hand to Jillian’s face, running her thumb along her cheekbone. 

“No, no, not like that. If we keep on going, I’m not going to be able to stop myself and I really don’t want our first time to be next to a smelly dumpster.” Erin whispered, nodding her head towards said dumpster less than 2m away from them. 

“Good point, Gilbert.”

“Yeah.”

“So…there will be a first time?” Holtzmann asked, scrunching her nose as she narrowed her eyes. Erin smiled.

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

With one last kiss, Erin took Holtzmann’s hand in her own and they went back inside. 


End file.
